Parents are inundated with options for extracurricular activities for their children. It can be a struggle to find the right sport, art form, music class, or social activity for your child to blossom in. Parents with more than one child have it even tougher as they shuttle kids from after school activities, to practices, and weekend events; it is a second full-time job!
In the midst of all these options, martial arts often emerges as a top choice. It is proven that martial arts can instill confidence, respect, discipline, and honor in both children and adults. Martial arts also can help students build their focus and stamina for work. Students who participate in extracurricular activities such as sports and martial arts perform better in school and are less likely to receive discipline.
No matter which martial art you choose for your children — or they choose for themselves —they will reap the many physical and psychological benefits of studying that discipline.
There are a plethora of choices for martial arts for children. Regardless of the style you choose, there are several important things to consider when choosing an academy or teacher:
- What is the teaching style of the instructor? Everyone learns differently, and it is important that the instructor is well-versed in working with children.
- How much experience did the instructor have before they started teaching?
- Is there a focus on injury prevention?
- Is the environment supportive?
- What is the student to teacher ratio?
- Does the school take a traditional approach? To preserve the original discipline and expectations for character development, it is important that the instruction is not “watered down” or given by someone not fully qualified.
- Is it fun? Above all, kids should be kids and whatever activity you and your child choose, it should be fun, engaging, and make them feel good.
A frontrunner amongst all of the options out there for kids to study martial arts, Capoeira stands out as an excellent choice. Capoeira focuses on individual growth while helping children set and reach their goals. Children not only train the movements, they learn the music, songs in Brazilian Portuguese, discipline, self-confidence, physical stamina, and the history of the art form. Capoeira is highly inclusive, with capoeiristas of all ages, sizes, backgrounds, and abilities coming together to play and train. It teaches you to be accepting of others and to have respect for all. Capoeira also checks the most important box for a kids’ activity: It is a lot of fun!
Interested in trying capoeira? Please check our class schedule